Conducting geophysical surveys from above the ground can provide useful geophysical information. The data gathered from these surveys can be used to generate maps of information regarding subsurface features in oil, gas and mineral explorations. These geophysical surveys can include gravitational, magnetic, electromagnetic and radiometric measurements, etc. Airborne geophysical surveys have a number of advantages over land based surveys, such as, accessibility to remote areas and survey route flexibility. However, using aircraft also provides its own set of challenges. For example, airplanes and helicopters can use large amounts of fuel and introduce vibration/noise into the sensitive equipment used to perform such airborne geophysical surveys.
In this regard, airships present an alternative for geophysical surveys. Airships have been used in geophysical surveying due to their reduced geophysical noise levels during operation. An airship (also called a balloon, dirigible or blimp) is kept buoyant by a body of gas by using a large inflatable compartment or chamber which is filled with a gas that is lighter than air (usually hydrogen or helium). An airship differs from a conventional aircraft in that its source of lift is the buoyant gas it contains whereas a regular aircraft uses its engines to provide propulsion and achieves lift through its flight from aerodynamic wings. There is a subset of conventional aircraft known as gliders which also have aerodynamic wings but lack direct propulsion and require a tow to some altitude where they can use gravitational force to maintain airspeed and associated lift.
These lighter-than-air airships are, however, limited in several ways. For example, they have low payload/volume ratios. Additionally, ground handling of airships has historically presented great difficulty. When a purely lighter-than-air airship lands, being positively or neutrally buoyant, it is susceptible to wind buffeting. In even a slight breeze, a truck or many ground crew members are required to secure the airship to a mooring mast. Because of this, airships are prone to ground handling mishaps.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide methods and systems that avoid the afore-described problems and drawbacks.